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Wisconsin Football Adds 2023 3-Star IDL Roderick Pierce

By Paul Bretl

Sep 4, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger waves the Wisconsin flag prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger waves the Wisconsin flag prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Thursday evening, the Wisconsin Football program gained their fifth commitment for the 2023 class and third in less than a week, with interior defensive lineman Roderick Pierce announcing that he would be joining the Badgers.

In addition to Pierce, who is the first defensive line commitment, Wisconsin has also landed LB Tyler Jansey, IOL James Duran, RB Jaquez Keyes, and Justin Taylor, who will play safety.

According to 247Sports, Pierce, who is from Brother Rice High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois, is a three-star prospect and the 107th ranked defensive linemen in the 2023 class. He is also the 23rd-ranked player in the state of Illinois, where three of the Badgers’ five commitments so far have come from.

The 6’3″ – 290 pound Pierce had 17 other scholarship offers in addition to Wisconsin, including Illinois, Duke, Iowa State, Minnesota, and Purdue, among others.

Now, for more on Pierce and what the Wisconsin Football program is adding to their defensive front, Jesse Temple of The Athletic ($$) had this to say in a recent article of his:

"“Pierce has the size but also possesses explosiveness and power, wrote Temple. “His junior season highlight film illustrates a high motor, an ability to split double teams and a knack for reading plays well.”"

As has become the norm, the Wisconsin defensive front was dominant against the run last season. Over 13 games, the Badgers would allow only 2.12 rushing yards per carry in 2021, which was the fewest in college football, as were the total rushing yards and yards per game given up.

However, following the 2022 season, Wisconsin will be without Keeanu Benton and Isaiah Mullens, both of whom are entering their final seasons. Benton and Mullens would play the second and third most snaps along the interior defensive front last season, according to PFF ($$). Matt Henningsen had the most snaps, but he is now in the NFL with the Denver Broncos.

Other interior defenders who saw playing time in 2021 include Rodas Johnson and James Thompson.

While still early, Wisconsin’s 2023 class currently ranks 41st in the country. Along with Pierce, the Badgers have also offered 11 other interior defensive linemen in the 2023 class, per 247Sports.

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